Wire-twister.



No. 893,423. PATENTED JULY 14:, 1908. D. N. BATES, S. E. CLAPP & L. BOOTH.

WIRE TWISTBR.

APPLIOATION FILED 001 .4. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITN ESSE S PATEN'I'ED JULY 14, 1908.

D. N. BATES, S. E. OLAPP & L.-B. BOOTH.

WITNESSES INVENTORS R Qww;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL N. BATES, SAMUEL E. OLAPP, AND LOUIS E. BOOTH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WIRE-TWISTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1908.

Application filed October 4, 1907. Serial No. 395,928.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL N. BATES, SAMUEL E. OLAPP, andLoUIs E. Boorn, all of WVorcester, Worcester county, Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful lVire- Twister, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away of a wire-twister embodying our invention; Fig. 2' is a side view of the same with one of the frame arms in section; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view showing the ratchet and pawl devices; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the ratchet spool removed; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the wire preparatory to twisting; and Fig. 6 1s a perspective view showing the application of the twister to the wire and the work done thereby.

The invention has relation to a wire twisting tool which can be used for a variety of purposes, but which has been particularly designed for use in twisting together the ends of car stake ties of the character described and claimed in our co-pending application Serial No. 395,927, of even date herewith.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient tool by means of which a twisted joint of this character may be rapidly and effectively made.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numerals 2 and 3 designate two frame members consisting each ofa bar having at its outer end a right-angled vertically-slotted jaw 4, and at its inner end a jaw 5 extending substantially parallel to the jaw 4. Each bar is also formed with an arm 6 between which is secured a steadying lever or handle 7 by the bolts 8 which pass through the arms 6 and secure the two frame members together. The jaws 5 are each formed with vertical slots 5 therein, which are in line with the slots 9 in the jaws 4. Journaled in the jaws 5 is a ratchet spool having the journal portions 10, the intermediate large ratchet 11, and the small ratchet 12, at one end. This spool is formed with a longitudinal slot 13, widened at its ends, the central portion of the slot being of substantially the same width as the slots 9, while the widened end.

chambered to receive therein the large ratchet 11, which is held therein by means of the screw-ring 15 having a slot 16 which registers with the slot in the spool.

17 is a pawl, which is seated in the shank of the lever 14 and is pressed into engagement with the teeth of the large ratchet 11 by a spring 18.

19 is a pawl which is pivoted to one of the frame jaws 5, and which engages the teeth of the small ratchet 12 under the action of a spring 12".

The operation is as follows :The stake tie to be twisted is carried around the car stakes in the manner shown in Fig. 5, one end portion 20 thereof being passed through an eye 21 upon the other end, and bent back upon itself substantially parallel with the main strand 22. The wire is stretched by any suitable means, and the twister is applied thereto by engaging the slots 9 of the jaws 4 therewith in the manner shown in Fig. 6, the three strands of the wire being also engaged with the slots in the frame jaws '5 and in the ratchet spool, said slots having all been brought in line with each other by bringing the steadying lever 7 and the ratchet lever 14 at right angles to each other, as shown in Fig. 2. The ratchet lever is then moved slightly so as to clamp the wires, and the steadying lever 7 is dropped and held by the foot or otherwise. The twisting is then effected by actuating the ratchet lever 14, the pawl 19 by its engagement with the small ratchet 12 holding the ratchet spool against backward movement while the twisting is being efiected. Instead of forming ratchet teeth on the spool, it may be formed with spur, or other suitably shaped teeth.

The tool described forms a simple and effective means by which the work can be rapidly and conveniently done, the entire operation requiring but a short time.

It will be obvious that the tool is adapted for use in forming various other twisted wire joints as well as that described.

Various other changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the tool parts without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, since What we claim is 1. In a wire twisting tool, a frame extending substantially parallel with the wires to be twisted and having a slotted jaw at each end portion, and also a pair of slotted jaws at its intermediate portion, a spool journaled in the last named jaws and having a slot in alinernent with the slots in the jaws, a ratchet lever fulcrunied on said spool and carrying a pawl arranged to engage a toothed portion thereof, and a steadyingbar or lever connected to the said frame; substantially as described.

2. In a wire-twisting tool, a frame extending substantially parallel with the wires to be twisted, and having a slotted jaw at each end portion, a spool journaled in said frame and having slots in alinement with the slots 15 In testimony whereof, we have hereunto 20 set our hands.

DANIEL N. BATES. SAMUEL E. OLAPP. LOUIS E. BOOTH.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR D. FIsKE, WM. A. BACON. 

